Effective stretching grants golfers greater flexibility

Good rotational flexibility is important for sports such as golf, and can keep your spine healthy and mobile.

Many of my clients play golf on a regular basis.

I constantly coach them that the ability to get your body through a smooth and efficient golf swing requires good functional flexibility and joint range of motion.

Every day I help clients improve this aspect of their game, so I thought I’d share some effective stretches.

Remember that there is a difference between dynamic stretching before performing your sport, and static stretching for increased range of motion.

I won’t be addressing pre-activity warm-ups here, but remember, the intent of dynamic stretching is to stimulate and awaken your body’s tissues to improve performance and avoid injury.

The kind of static stretching I’m discussing this week is intended to lengthen or release tight muscles and other tissues that could be limiting your range of motion during your swing. This should be done regularly on non-playing days.

Whether you’re performing static or dynamic stretching, it’s essential to prepare by raising your body temperature and increasing your circulation. This can be done with a simple warm-up activity like cycling, jogging or climbing stairs.

Always start slowly, and gradually increase your intensity until you start to break a sweat.

Try to move as much of your body as possible to be sure that all of your muscles and joints get warm and loose. Try things such as swinging your arms as you jog, or reaching your arms up and down overhead as you climb the stairs.

The following exercises are three great ways to improve your flexibility for golf.

Always stop if you feel pain, and make sure that you consult your physician before undertaking a new fitness program or making changes to your current routine.

STANDING JACK-KNIFE TWIST

This movement gives a great rotational stretch through the lower spine and hips.

Start by standing sideways to a wall or pole, with your feet approximately hip to shoulder width apart.

With equal weight on both legs and your knees just slightly flexed, bend forward at the hip joints, while keeping your lower back flat and your spine long.

As you reach the end of your flexibility you should feel a good stretch in your hamstrings.

From this point, rotate your torso and shoulders toward the wall, and use the leverage of your arms to assist with the rotation.

Using a pole can be even easier than a wall, as it allows you to grab and pull with your lower hand as you press away with your top hand.

Use steady pressure to increase your rotation, and breathe comfortably.

You should be able to gradually increase your range of motion after each exhalation. Never bounce or pull too hard during this stretch. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds on each side of the body.

LYING HIP FLEXOR

One of my favourite methods of stretching the hip flexor muscles is done on my back on a bench.

Start by lying with your left side close to the edge of the bench, with your left foot lowered to the floor. The other foot should be on the bench with the knee bent.

With your left hand, reach down and grasp the ankle of the left foot, gently pulling the foot under you while bending the left knee.

Make sure you have your core engaged to help prevent your lower back from arching too much as you pull the foot back.

Once you begin to feel tension in your left thigh, anchor your toes on the floor and let go with your hand, which you can place on your lower abdomen to help encourage core engagement.

Take a deep breath and exhale as you use your abdominal muscles to press your lower back down toward the bench.

If the stretch in your left thigh isn’t strong enough, use the toes of your left foot to pull the leg further into the stretch. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds before switching sides.

MODIFIED PIGEON GLUTE STRETCH

This great glute stretch is often performed on the floor but I find this puts a little too much lateral stress on my knees. If I perform a modified version on a bench, I can really control my positioning and the depth of the stretch.

Start by placing the outside of your bent right leg on a bench in front of you, keeping the right foot hanging off the bench in front of your left thigh.

Support your weight on your hands and keep your spine long and your head upright as you lower your pelvis toward the inside of your right knee.

Breathe and exhale, lowering further to feel a good stretch in your right glute. After 30 to 45 seconds, slowly lift out of this position and repeat on the left leg.

Rob Williams is a kinesiologist and posture specialist in downtown Vancouver.

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